The 2026 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examinations started on a positive note yesterday with spot-checks indicating no major disruptions at examination centres.
The Nation checked the situation in Nkhata Bay, Karonga, Lilongwe, Dedza, Mchinji, Ntcheu, Thyolo, Blantyre, Chikwawa and Nsanje districts.
examination room. | Macmillan Mhone
At Chisawani Primary School in Thyolo, supervisor Matthews Ganiza said all 240 registered candidates were present and sitting the examinations in eight classrooms.
“We started both the English and Social and Religious Studies papers at the prescribed time and we have had no problems,” he said.
But Ganiza asked the Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb) to consider assigning two supervisors to some examination centres to ease management responsibilities.
The PSLCE examinations are being administered alongside the Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) examinations, which began on June 1.
At Henry Henderson Institute (HHI) in Blantyre, candidates for both examinations are sharing the same premises, with PSLCE candidates writing in the hall while JCE candidates are spread across classrooms.
In an interview yesterday, Maneb spokesperson Angella Kashitigu said the arrangement to administer PSLCE in June rather than the usual May was intended to increase contact time between Standard Eight learners and their teachers before the examinations.
She said the board’s preparations for administering the two examinations concurrently have proved successful.
Kashitigu said all logistical arrangements, including the delivery of examination materials and candidate identity cards were completed on time.
A total of 254 486 candidates comprising 132 476 females and 122 010 males registered for the 2026 PSLCE examinations, down from 257 129 candidates in 2025.
Maneb is also expected to administer the Malawi School Certificate of Education examinations from June 29 to July 24, with 197 502 candidates registered.
In total, 614 915 candidates have registered for this year’s national examinations, comprising 316 764 females and 298 151 males.
